Posts Tagged With: Judas

The book of Jude, also known as Judah (N. T. Wright’s preference) or even Judas, was possibly written by the prophet Judas (not Iscariot), though more likely written by Judas the brother of Jesus (c.f., Matthew 13:55). This view is favored because the author does not consider himself an apostle and he calls himself a brother of James, which most believe is the pillar in the Jerusalem church, the author of James, and the brother of Jesus. Seemingly not wanting to ride the coat-tails of his brother, Jude does not refer to himself as the Lord’s brother.

This is a hard book to date, and much of the decision rides on whether one thinks Jude borrowed from 2 Peter or vice versa or neither. If Jude borrowed from 2 Peter, then Jude can be dated as late as the 80s. As authors tend to borrow and elaborate, most scholars think Peter borrowed from the shorter Jude, meaning Jude cannot be dated later than AD 65.

Hebrews, James, John, Peter, and Jude are sometimes called the General Epistles because, unlike Paul’s letters, they appear to be written to broad groups of people, addressing very general circumstances. Jude is likely the most general of the General Letters. It is hard to say who is being addressed, what ethnicities are present, where they are located, and who exactly are the false teachers being discussed. Regardless, the message is clear and widely applicable.

Verse 4 may be the best summary of the message of Jude:

They are godless men, who change the grace of God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.

People have arisen in the church(es) Jude is addressing that have turned the grace of God into an excuse to sin. If wrongdoing is going to be forgiven, why not live how you wish. This could have been a libertine version of Gnosticism that Jude was attacking, though as we see even still today people who love their sin more than their Savior have always used grace as a license to stay in their old ways.

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“Shrewd as serpents, innocent as doves”

The ancient Egyptians of the Exodus. Angels who rebelled and were cast out of Heaven. The perverted people of Sodom and Gomorrah. Dumb animals who only follow their instincts. Cain, who killed his brother. Balaam, who would prophesy for the highest bidder. Korah and his fellow rebels who dared to question the leadership of Moses. Jude compares the false teachers in the midst of his recipients to this rogue’s gallery. Not great company.

As I read Jude again, a book I do not spend a lot of time in, I was struck by this interesting passage:

With some people who are wavering, you must show mercy. Some you must rescue, snatching them from the fire. To others you must show mercy, but with fear, hating even the clothes that have been defiled by the flesh. (22-23)

Jude is clear. Show mercy to everyone, even those on the fence thinking about walking away from the way of life you think is right and best, even to those trying to lead you astray. But it would be unwise to think that all people are equal threats to your faith. There are some who need you to be deeply invested in their lives, fighting for their very souls. But there are others — like these false teachers — who, while we do not give them the ill treatment they deserve, must be treated with a healthy fear of what they can do to a person’s faith. There is a distance that must be in place, lest one be pulled into their wickedness as well. All must be shown mercy, but not all should be related to in the same way.

My favorite place in Memphis, TN, where I live, is a large park in the middle of the metroplex called Shelby Farms. Once a penal farm where the detainees would produce their own food (hence the name), now this 4000-acre park is home to fields, trails, lakes, a river to canoe, a state-of-the-art playground, equestrian area, dog park, disc golf course, community gardens, agricultural land, and natural woodlands. There is more than enough room for one to get lost from the cares and concerns of life and be distracted by the beauty and order of nature. This is why I love Shelby Farms most. A hike in the woods is the best therapy I know. What a great way to get away from the stress of a week of work or to blow off the steam that comes from parenting adolescents. This is my special place, because it is a getaway.

Sunset in Shelby Farms by my 13-year-old son

John tells us today that Jesus also had a special place:

With these words, Jesus went out with his disciples across the Kidron Valley to a place where there was a garden. He and his disciples went in. Judas, his betrayer, knew the place, because Jesus often used it as a meeting place with his disciples. (18:1-2)

Maybe it was just a meeting place. Or maybe it was Jesus’ meeting place because this was a that place Jesus liked to be. We know Jesus would often withdraw from the masses for times of prayer and meditation. We know Jesus would often go to mountainsides and wilderness places at these times. I think it is possible that this was that sort of place for Jesus. What a logical place to go on this night.

“The Betrayal of Jesus” by Duccio Di Buoninsegna

Here is the kicker. Jesus’ special place is the very place where he will be betrayed, where he will pray with desperation to not drink the cup of God’s wrath, where he will sweat drops of blood. This is the place where Jesus’ will last experience freedom. Even more startling is that Jesus knew all of this about his garden, long before it ever happened:

Jesus knew everything that was going to happen to him. (18:4a)

Jesus’ special place was the very place he would be betrayed. Jesus has made regular pilgrimages to the very spot where everything will begin to be unraveled for him. This is anything but a getaway. Jesus wasn’t escaping the reality of life; he was immersing himself in it. He was reminding himself of how this is supposed to end. How amazing!

Luke is now dealing with the end of Jesus’ life as thoroughly as he did Jesus’ birth. This long chapter takes us to death’s doorstep. I was struck by many things — how afraid of the crowd the Pharisees were but by the end of the chapter they are somehow able to turn them against Jesus, how much Jesus wanted to be with and supported by his disciples at this point, how confusing his instructions are in this chapter — but it was the strange juxtaposition of two verses that come side by side that really caught my attention today:

They began to ask each other which of them was going to do this [betray Jesus]. (22:23)

Followed immediately by:

A quarrel began among them: which of them was to be seen as the most important? (22:24)

As he sits at the Last Supper with his beloved group, Jesus announces that one of them is going to betray him. In Luke’s account he does nothing to hint toward Judas. The disciples are indignant: “Surely not me! I would never do a thing like that! I will be loyal to the end!”

Then . . . one verse later . . . those very same disciples begin to argue over who is the most important disciples amongst the group. Peter asserts it must be him because he walked on the water to meet Jesus and Jesus did say the keys of the kingdom would be given to him. Andrew reminds Peter that he wouldn’t have even been there if he hadn’t introduced Peter to Jesus. James argues it would have to be him because he was always there in the inner group of three to see special things like the Transfiguration, and he didn’t have the tendency to make the same stupid gaffes Peter often did. John reminds the group he is the “disciple whom Jesus loves.” Philip makes his claim: wasn’t he the one who boldly declared he would gladly go with Jesus and die? Bartholomew is sure it will be him because he is so humble he is never even mentioned in the Gospels!

They are shocked that Jesus would think any of them would betray him. That any of them would work against the very things Jesus came to do. That they would disappoint their rabbi. Then moments later they are asserting their own power, reputations, and egos. They have quickly turned to the trespass that may be most contrary to the way of Christ: self-assertion.

We are approaching Jesus’ death and I am struck by how there are two very different roads to the same place, Mt. Calvary.

The chapter begins by telling us that Jesus and the Jewish religious leaders are both contemplating the same event, but have very different intentions:

Jesus said to his disciples, “In two days’ time, as you know, it’ll be Passover! That’s when the son of man will be handed over to be crucified.” (26:1-2)

The chief priests got together with the elders of the people. . . . They plotted how to capture Jesus by some trick, and kill him. (26:4)

Next, we have the two groups making preparation for death. An unnamed woman comes to Jesus and anoints his head with very expensive perfume, unbeknownst to her as preparation for his burial. She does this as a sign of honor. Meanwhile, the chief priests strike a deal with Judas to lead them to Jesus in a private place so they can arrest him without a scene. Preparations are made for betrayal.

When Jesus is arrested in Gethsemane, a stark divergence is seen again. Everyone around Jesus — including impetuous Peter — operates by force. Swords are brandished, an ear is cut off, and Jesus is manhandled away to the house of the high priest. In contrast, throughout it all Jesus operates by peace. He so opposes force that he heals the high priest’s slave’s ear and chastises his own defender Peter. These are two radically different ways of operating in the world.

Both groups see Jesus’ body as an object to satisfy a need. For Jesus, his body is an instrument of “forgiveness of sins” and healing (26:28). Later, as the palace guard spat on Jesus and beat him, they show that Jesus’ body is simply an object on which to show hatred and humiliation.

Yet, both of these roads end up at the same place. However, for one it is a cross of shame, mockery, and elimination. For Jesus it is the cross of victory, love, and forgiveness.